Sunday, August 6, 2017

In Act 3, scene 5 of Romeo and Juliet, Lord Capulet becomes enraged when Juliet says she will not marry Paris. In what way are his words and...

The similarity in Lord Capulet's words and actions to those of Romeo and Juliet lies primarily in the fact that what both parties say and do is born out of passion and is impetuous. In both instances, neither Romeo and Juliet nor Lord Capulet has spent much thought on what they do or say. The two lovers have fallen for each other, hook, lie and sinker and declare their commitment to each other.

They also quickly decide to be married, without considering the consequences of their actions. They are so overwhelmed by their shared passion that the world seems to exist solely for them. Nothing else matters. The topmost thought in their minds is to be with one another and the sooner they can achieve this, the better. Although they acknowledge the fact that they come from feuding families, they prefer to ignore this fact and plan to rush headlong into making a permanent commitment. They do not exercise due diligence and are engulfed by their zeal. Their actions and words are therefore idealistic and irrational.   


Similarly, it is Lord Capulet's passion, driven by his rage at Juliet's refusal to appreciate the favour that he assumes he has done for her that drives him. His words and actions are irrational. He allows his anger to rule his thoughts and because he is fueled by this, he forgets what he is saying and makes a number of rash and provocative statements. He is brutally harsh in his reaction and denounces Juliet.


So passionate is Lord Capulet that he seems oblivious to the fact that Juliet is his only child and that she deserves some consideration. He, however, refuses to rationalize and verbally lashes out at her and even threatens to punish her physically. He is overwhelmed by his anger, just as much as Romeo and Juliet were overpowered by their infatuation, which they believed was love.


The result of Lord Capulet's outburst is that he threatens to disinherit Juliet and deny her entry into his house. He is intent on throwing her out and does not care how she survives. He feels that she is ungrateful and, therefore, does not deserve his continued support and generosity. He demands that she should leave and fend for herself since he is not prepared to take care of her. He states that it is not in his nature to jest and that he is serious. He states that he will never acknowledge her and that he will not be denied his wish that she marry the county Paris.



But, as you will not wed, I'll pardon you:
Graze where you will you shall not house with me:
Look to't, think on't, I do not use to jest.
Thursday is near; lay hand on heart, advise:
An you be mine, I'll give you to my friend;
And you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in
the streets,
For, by my soul, I'll ne'er acknowledge thee,
Nor what is mine shall never do thee good:
Trust to't, bethink you; I'll not be forsworn.



It is clear that Romeo and Juliet as well as Lord Capulet, are befuddled in their thinking because they are driven by a frenzy created and fired by their passion. All rational thought is abandoned since the issues at hand do not require reason, they are wholly emotional. It is, tragically, these heightened emotional states that eventually result in the unfortunate outcomes for our two doomed protagonists later.

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